Bio

Chip Gayden enters his 13th season as the Head Track and Field and Cross Country Coach at Meridian Community College. He is in his 19th year of coaching overall, with previous stops at the NCAA, NJCAA, and high school levels.

Since his arrival at MCC, Gayden’s athletes have earned over 180 All-America honors, broken 40 school records, and one NJCAA record, and claimed 16 individual national championships and 17 individual runner-up finishes. His teams have achieved 21 top-25 finishes at the NJCAA National Championships on both the men’s and women’s sides, including a 4th-place finish by the men’s indoor team in 2018. MCC has posted 20 performances that rank in the NJCAA’s all-time top 10, including record-setting marks in the 300 meters and 500 meters. During this time, MCC has produced one National Athlete of the Year, one Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and three Regional Athletes of the Year. Gayden has also helped over 80 student-athletes continue their careers at four-year colleges or universities, including 60 at NCAA programs.

In 2025, Gayden led MCC’s men’s team to a 9th-place finish indoors, followed by a 13th-place finish outdoors. He coached Tafazdwa Chikomba to one of the most dominant years in NJCAA long jump history. Chikomba won national titles both indoors and outdoors with marks of 8.05 and 8.10 meters and recorded four of the best jumps in NJCAA history. Gayden also mentored Jaci Summers to a school-record performance in the 100m, running 10.21 at the Bulldog Relays. On the women’s side, the team placed 21st indoors and 22nd outdoors.

In 2024, MCC’s men’s team was highlighted by Tafazdwa Chikomba’s outdoor national title in the long jump with a mark of 7.68 meters. Kylan Bernard also earned the indoor 60m hurdles national title in 7.79 and finished runner-up in the 110m hurdles outdoors in 13.62. On the women’s side, Privllege Chikara won the indoor 800 meters national title and was runner-up in the indoor mile.

In 2023, the women’s team posted its highest finish at the NJCAA National Championships since 1998, placing 12th indoors and 16th outdoors. The men finished 25th indoors and 24th outdoors. Chikara led the women with national titles in the indoor 800 meters, indoor mile, and outdoor 1500 meters. She was named both the USTFCCCA Women’s Track Athlete of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The men’s team ran the second-fastest 4x400m relay in school history at 3:07.63 at the Outdoor National Championships.

In 2022, Gayden coached Keshaun Black to a national title in the 100 meters with a wind-aided time of 10.02 (3.3). Black also set school records in the 60 meters (6.58) and 200 meters (20.95) indoors. The men’s team maintained their streak of top-25 finishes at the National Championships.

In 2021, the men’s team continued their success with another top-25 finish at the outdoor national championships after opting out of the indoor season due to COVID-19. Gayden guided Keshaun Black to a 3rd-place finish in the 100 meters with a school-record time of 10.27.

In 2020, MCC placed in the top 15 at the indoor national championships. Grover Winston placed 4th in the 400 meters, and Vincent Taylor finished 4th in the triple jump.

In 2019, the men’s team earned two top-20 national finishes. Gayden coached Leander Forbes to his second straight national title in the 600 meters indoors, where he also broke the NJCAA record. Forbes also placed runner-up in the 400 meters outdoors with a school-record 45.82. The men’s 4x400m relay also finished second nationally. On the women’s side, Marquania Rowell finished second in the high jump, MCC’s highest individual finish since 1996.

In 2018, the men’s team placed 4th indoors, the highest finish since 1998. The team captured a third straight national title in the indoor 4x800m relay. Forbes claimed his first of two indoor 600m national titles, and James Burnett finished runner-up in the 400 meters, breaking the school record. Outdoors, MCC had runner-up finishes in the 4x400m relay (school-record 3:06.82) and Javon Brown in the triple jump.

In 2017, MCC again posted top-20 finishes indoors and outdoors. The men’s 4x800m relay won a second consecutive indoor national title. Outdoors, Stephan Holcombe and Tim Hoodlebrink each earned runner-up finishes in the 400m and 800m, respectively.

In 2016, Gayden led both teams to top-20 finishes at the NJCAA indoor and outdoor championships. MCC began its three-year streak of indoor 4x800m national titles, and Kendrick Smith earned a 2nd-place finish in the indoor 60 meters.

In 2015, Gayden coached Kendrick Smith to national titles in the indoor 200 meters and outdoor 100 meters, along with a 3rd-place finish in the indoor 60 meters. Chris Lewis earned runner-up finishes in the indoor 60 meters and outdoor 100 meters. Smith and Lewis ranked among the top 30 sprinters in the world in 2015, and were the 3rd and 4th fastest freshmen in college in the 60 meters.

Gayden arrived at MCC after coaching at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), Iowa Central Community College, and the University of Memphis.

At Memphis, he coached sprinters for both the men’s and women’s teams and helped guide the school’s first women’s 4x400m relay team to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. He also coached three All-Americans and helped set six school records.

At Iowa Central, Gayden served as an assistant track and field and cross country coach. He led the men’s and women’s half-marathon teams and the women’s cross country team to NJCAA national titles in 2012, and also served as the program’s recruiting coordinator.

At Ole Miss, Gayden coached sprinters under longtime head coach Joe Walker Jr. and helped Isiah Young qualify for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team in the 200 meters. He coached several NCAA Outdoor Championship qualifiers, regional qualifiers, and SEC scorers, and assisted in the training of Olympic gold medalist Brittney Reese.

Gayden began his coaching career at his alma mater, Christian Brothers High School, where he coached sprinters and hurdlers and led the team to the 2010 state championship. His teams also earned two regional runner-up finishes and one regional championship.

Gayden is USATF Level 1 certified and holds a USATF Level 2 certification in sprints, hurdles, and relays.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Gayden graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. He is married to the former Ashley Lance of Franklin, Tennessee, and they have one daughter, Caroline.